To want to shout at people who write Southern Ireland

[ParadiseCity]

THERE IS NO SUCH FUCKING COUNTRY! And if you really were as clever as you pretend to be, you might just fucking know that. Arrrgghhh.

I feel a bit better for that. Please feel free to add your own

The Democratic Republic of Smug must be a wonderful place to inhabit Malmi. Where you can pass many hours proving yourself right whilst blah blah blahing on about irrelevant despot-led countries.

It's still ROI and Northern Ireland and there's still no excuse for the people who live within the U.K., not to know that.

Although I've found the best way to piss off someone from Meath is to say 'but you're basically from Dublin, right?'

That made me snort with laughter.

Imaginosity, where do you live? I've lived in the UK for a very long time (next year it'll be half my life) and over the years I've found the blasé and ignorant attitude to Ireland and its history, and the links to British history, to be uncomfortable. I think that's why "Southern Ireland" rankles as much as it does.

Oh, and I'm a stickler for detail who gets hung up on things that probably really don't matter....but that's another thread. :)

@HolyShmoly I once said to someone from Bray "But it really is Dublin right, I mean, it's on the Dart!"

You don't say that to someone from Wickla!

and I probably said Dort

@malmi I also use up north and, if in Northern Ireland and going down to Dublin, down south. I don't change the name of the country to Southern Ireland. No Irish people do.

If you take my point on Ukraine/Russia then that's the end of the discussion really, I've explained to you why Irish people find it offensive and you've agreed that you understand.

Me using North Korea instead of DPR Korea is not the same as (1) I did not realise until this thread that people from DPRK refer to DPRK and not North Korea or that they find North Korea offensive (2) In this knowledge, should I ever meet someone from DPRK whom I didn't wish to offend I would be conscious of this issue and would not just barrel in demanding to call it something I know he/she finds offensive for my convenience (3) I do not live right beside DPRK so my ignorance could be excused and (4) most importantly, this is not a situation where a chunk has been taken out of DPRK's original country by force by my country (which would surely place an onus on me to show some respect in how I refer to the country rather than attempting, arrogantly, to rename the remainder of the country for my convenience).

And whereas it's a lesser point, the geographical issues are relevant also. You calling Ireland "Southern Ireland" is implying that it is equivalent to Northern Ireland, ie that Britain has left only half of the country to the Irish rather than 85%. We are not half a country. And saying that there is one point that is more northerly in ROK than in DPRK or whatever is silly - of course you're not going to get an absolutely linear north-south split unless you have millions of builders in using spirit levels. That's totally distinguishable from a situation in which you are calling a country with the most northerly point on an island "Southern Ireland".

You really haven't proved your point by calling Sudan North Sudan. That's you making the same error again, and unless you consider yourself the ultimate arbiter of reasonableness, this means nothing except that your knowledge of Africa is as good as my knowledge of east Asia (not very).

People only say 'Southern Ireland' (for the country of Ireland) because southern is the opposite of northern and they are ignorant.

Well, Emmeline123 that was pretty much my point also, except my hormone depleted, fog induced brain was scrabbling to connect the dots.

I'm not Irish but my grandparents were (they referred to the 'free state) and my exH was too. I know how much anger this can stir up and I absolutely understand why. It's just not acceptable and in many respects arrogant and offensive to be ignorant about this matter.

Could the insufferable smuggards saying 'Well, I use Éire, which is the name of the country' please get it into their heads that this is Ireland's name only in Irish

I agree with this. It amazes me that so many people who live here have posted to say 'the north' or 'the south' and yet people are still talking about Éire. I would never say 'Oh I've booked a lovely holiday in Cymru' or 'I'm heading to Deutschland for a long weekend'. As pp have said, why change language for one word? I don't know why but I find that more annoying than 'Southern Ireland'.

@amicissimma They are trying to speak in British English to help you! Literally never met anyone in Ireland refer to the country as Southern Ireland.

So assuming you're referring to the island, I don't think southern Ireland is wrong. If you're referring to the country, then it's better to say the Republic of Ireland

You're wrong twice.

But this thread is full of people from ROI and NI saying that they tend to use the terms 'up north' or 'down south' when needing to differentiate between the different parts of the island

Thats totally different. First of all they live there and can say what they like, but they are talking about geography. If you go from Dublin to Belfast, you are going north, and vice versa you are going south.
You could also easily say you are going up north if you are going to Donegal from Cork. If you said you were going to "The North" that would specifically mean Northern Ireland.

I've occasionally heard members of my Irish family (ROI) use 'Southern Ireland' in conversation to differentiate from the North. I'll let them know it upsets you

If thats true they are just dumbing it down for the brits!

I've occasionally heard members of my Irish family (ROI) use 'Southern Ireland' in conversation to differentiate from the North. I'll let them know it upsets you

Really? I find that bizarre. Why would they refer to their own country in the completely incorrect way? I have literally never heard anyone from Ireland refer to it as 'Southern Ireland'. Ever. Its factually incorrect!

Unless as Emmeline said they were doing it for your benefit? Or are you sure they weren't just talking about Cork/Kerry/Wexford?

I'm Irish (from ROI) and have said Southern Ireland on more than one occasion. It feels clunky and a bit wrong but still came out as the best description at the times I used it.

Meh.

My family on my Mum's said are from Kilkenny & they never refer to it as Southern Ireland. It's Ireland.

Which is Ireland? The geographical unit or the political unit? If they man the other what word do they use then?

Which is Ireland? The geographical unit or the political unit? If they man the other what word do they use then?

Don't overcomplicate. Ireland is a country, simple as that. If you mean the island of Ireland, say that.
Why do people find this so hard?

PP - couldn't agree more.

It's not hard. It's feckin obvious.

They're just being obtuse.

Say that to anyone here Andrew and they would laugh!!

I'm from NI and we always refer to Southern Ireland...is that offensive now? I also want to emphasise that I am a very neutral person from NI..

And NI is part of the UK but is not part of Great Britain.

My DH is Irish and his family all live in Ireland. I always say 'Irish' and 'Ireland's and when people ask me 'north or south' I say 'the republic' and usually follow it up with 'not far from Dublin' so they know what I mean.

DH and his family always refer to home as 'Ireland'
I have never heard them OR him say 'Southern Ireland'

Which is Ireland? The geographical unit or the political unit?

Both. I live in NI. I also live in Ireland.

And as a northerner 'southern Ireland' is definitely part of my vocabulary.

Edsheeranalbumparty that's funny. I also get slightly annoyed by that. And even if they are legitimately using the word county, it really annoys me that they write County Mayo rather than Co. Mayo. (Irrational, moi?)

No Irish person who has grown up in the Irish republic would ever call it Southern Ireland. I only corrected someone for it last night. Anything else, no problem, Eire, ROI, Ireland etc. But Southern Ireland really grates. If you were from Cork, you might say you were from the South of Ireland. Never, ever, Southern Ireland. Why would you? That's not what the country is called. I also think that the reason it grates is because no other nation manages to show such indifference by not getting the name of the country right. It's always the Brits who say Southern Ireland.
On a roll now Furthermore, It has always saddened me how much the Irish Americans celebrate Irishness and are proud of their heritage, they way they celebrate "Patty's Day" etc, yet the Brits, so many of whom are descendants of Ireland, really don't give a damn.

Could it be any fucking clearer! - see VERY SIMPLE EXPLANATION BELOW. You can use your finger to track the words if you need to.

I actually doubted myself and referred to the trusty Wikipedia which didn't disappoint. For those of you still not quite clear, they do a wonderful 'watch with mother' explanation. I'm perplexed, frustrated and saddened at the woeful ignorance surrounding this.

Ireland (/ˈaɪərlənd/; Irish: Éire [ˈeːɾʲə]), also described as the Republic of Ireland (Poblacht na hÉireann), is a sovereign state in north-western Europe occupying 26 of 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, which is located on the eastern part of the island, and whose metropolitan area is home to around a third of the country's 4.75 million inhabitants. The state shares its only land border with Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom.

Yes but people also use 'Ireland' as shorthand for the Island of Ireland.

I was born and raised in Ireland. I occasionally say Southern Ireland. Not my most comfortable term but certain circumstances lead to that being the term that comes out.

In most contexts it is clear what people are talking about when they say "Ireland" (country or island), without having to resort to "Republic of Ireland". And if it's not clear and it's relevant you can always ask whether they mean the country or the island. It is not difficult.